The How-to Section

and other information needed to keep your ventilation system operating the way it was designed.

Servicing your HRV-

HRV's require some basic maintenance to keep them running efficiently. The main thing is to keep them clean. Dirty filters reduce the airflow, and reduce the effectiveness as well as shorten the life of the motors. The filters that come with the HRV are designed to be reused. Vacuum the debris from the filter, then rinse under water to clean them. If the heat exchanger core is dirty, remove it and clean it. Be sure to check the intake and exhaust hoods to make sure they are not blocked. It is important to keep the HRV clean to get proper air flow through the unit.

Run a Self Check-

Each brand has their own self check sequence at start up. Follow the procedure found in the owners manual to check for proper operation of fans and defrost damper motors.

Operating your HRV-

How to run the HRV to keep the moisture off the windows without blowing all your heat out of the house.

Many older HRV's run all the time when they are plugged in. This can lead to homeowners unplugging the unit because they make the house cold and dry. A simple household timer can be installed to provide ventilation when needed, and shut off when the home is unoccupied.

Newer models come with intermittent settings built in. We recommend the 20min on/40min off setting for most of the winter. Your windows will tell you if you need more ventilation. Condensation on your windows means you need to ventilate more. A static shock when you turn on the lights means you are over ventilating the house, wasting energy on fans and heat.

A Very Dirty Fresh air intake screen

Dirty filters can restrict the airflow through an HRV

Older Venmar and VanEE units have a 2nd filter hidden behind the black plastic cover with the white thumb screws that is often overlooked.

Keep your HRV clean to maximize its ability to provide your home with the ventilation it needs.

Please let us know if there is something in particular that you would like to see addressed.